Author
Topic: Club Name Change (Read 3319 times)

We are changing the Name of the club to better reflect the nature of our activites, to be more inclusive and since we have to update our bylaws and constitution it seemed like a good timing. So Choose your Favorite, or post a suggestion.

This was voted on at the at the AGM and all where in favour.

« Last Edit: January 07, 2017, 08:34:47 PM by Chris Campbell »

Logged

There is no such thing as getting lost, only discovering new places and paths.

A couple thoughts:If we're to be called something like Whitewater Vancouver, do we intend to "include" rafting? I've nothing against rafts, but for some reason unlike south of us, in Canada rafting seems to be mostly a commercial activity. What about jet boating? I think that's considered a legit whitewater sport now. What about the swimming-in-rapids-with-a-mask-and-fins game? How do the local canoe clubs feel about us potentially poaching members? How about Canyoneering?

historically we have allowed rafts and canoes and even SUP boarders to join us on the river, I dont think we need to be kayak exclusive anymore, this was covered at the AGM and was voted on as a step forward for the club. I dont think we need to worry about jet boats or goggles and fins. And any canoeist who want to join up are free to, no one is forcing them and we are not going around canvasing other clubs to gain membership.

Logged

There is no such thing as getting lost, only discovering new places and paths.

I don't really see any need to change the club name. Maybe it's because I've been a member for a loooong time and I'm used to our current name. We're predominantly kayakers so it makes sense. I don't think canoeists have ever felt excluded if they wanted to join(Ross you don't feel excluded do you?). I vote we keep VKC!!

None of those really roll off the tongue like "VKC". I don't love the reference to "coastal" or even coast, Vancouver Whitewater Club is probably the most obvious. By the way, I'm a canoeist, and I don't feel excluded or really see a need for a change.

A name change might see more canoeists paddle with the VKC, because not many are as bold as Roscoe, or live by a popular kayaking run. For newer canoeists, it probably just doesn't occur to them to join the kayak club - they don't feel excluded because they don't think about it. But most canoeists around here who paddle class III probably already belong to the VKC anyway, and keep their memberships with the canoe club.

Some of this probably depends on what the VKC wants in the long-term - do you want a few more class III canoeists to get more involved with the VKC, or are you open to newbie canoeists looking to be shown the ropes?

I can't speak for the canoe club(s), but if the VKC does something to attract more ww canoeists, I wouldn't necessarily feel badly for the canoe clubs: they have had equal opportunity to attract and retain those paddlers, but as boat designs have changed and skills have increased, the canoe clubs have resisted adding new trips or training that appeal to class III canoeists, so I'd see it as more their strategic choice then anything the VKC did. The distinction might have more to do with what kind of trips you paddle than what type of boat you paddle.

That said, if the VKC gets particularly focused on attracting canoeists (for example, if the VKC is opening up more to canoes, are they going to start offering training in ww canoeing?), I guess it could ruffle some feathers. But, if there's a gap to be filled and one club choses to address it, fair is fair. Clubs aside, it could actually be good for ww canoeing to give more kayakers a chance to get interested in ww canoeing. I'm probably getting ahead of what the VKC's intentions may be or how this might unfold - I don't know how much attracting canoeists plays into the name change - but I don't see this as a big deal. It would be too bad if good canoeists go to the VKC and stop supporting new canoeists in the canoe club, but these things evolve.

The only thing canoes are excluded from with the VKC are the pool sessions, and that may not change with the name change, whatever works for the organizers.

What about naming it after a river that many club members identify with, like the Capilano Whitewater Club ("CWC" has a better ring than VWC or VWP)?

we are simply giving more options to all troupes of whitewater paddlers, and personally I really like having canoes along, aside from the entertainment factor they are really easy to recover/rescue compared to a flooded kayak lol

And we don't exclude canoes at least not since I have been president, we just ask that they be of the more modern shorter style if someone asks if they can bring a canoe. We do however exclude sea kayaks as they are simply too long.

For those questioning the name change it was adresssed at the AGM, it's both statistic and helps reflect our intentions, we are not a kayak club, we are a whitewater (mostly kayak club). I would also like to cut back on inquiries from "Jack and Jill" wanting to paddle around deep cove lol which happens often enough to become an annoyance.

Logged

There is no such thing as getting lost, only discovering new places and paths.

Not attached to any of the options but looking ahead I'm guessing we are going to change our domain name as well. Think it's important we consider how easy it will be to find the web page. We have this problem with the Recreational Canoeing Assoc. of BC. The Roofing Contractors Association of BC is what always gets top billing When you search the options listed here is what currently comes up on google. Have listed them in order. May require us putting out some money to google to stay on top of the search results depending on what we choose. The fact that I took the time to do this makes me worry I'm suffering from Cabin Fever and desperately need to go paddling.

South Coast Whitewater - Whitewater Canoe club of South Wales followed by New South Wales raftingVancouver Whitewater Paddlers - VKCCoastal Whitewater Paddlers - Squamish Paddling Club followed by Coastal BC followed by Canoe Kayak Nova ScotiaVancouver Whitewater club - VKCWest Coast Whitewater - Destinyriver.com followed by ecorafting.co.nz followed Whitewater ski resort

Having coast or coastal in the names implies sea kayaking in my opinion. That also throws a larger area in my mind which encompasses squamish. I don't think squamish club will like that. It sounds like we're trying to take people from a larger area.

By the way, if people find that VWC isn't as catchy to say as VKC (and someone should perhaps point out that to a British reader this option stands for "Vancouver Water Closet" - aka, Vancouver toilet), we have the option of using a different shortened name instead of the initials. For example, Vancouver Whitewater Club could just as easily become something like "Van Whitewater," with a van-whitewater.com domain name.

In other words, we shouldn't let the initials be the biggest factor in this decision.

Spot on ken, we simply want an name that best represents the club without seeming too exclusive, we had a hoot when rafts and kayaks joined up for runs, and I would like to see more of that as it gives people the opertunity to expand our roaming grounds by brining more people from more areas, people who can give beta or advice on runs in their local area.

Logged

There is no such thing as getting lost, only discovering new places and paths.

I still prefer to leave it as is but if we must change the club name(and website, etc.) how about Vancouver Whitewater Association? VWA looks and sounds good and association sounds so much more important and all encompassing than club! All the little clubs would look at us and say "Wow! They're an Association! They must be very important!" 😁

Disclaimer: This forum was established as a service for the paddling community. The Vancouver Kayak Club does not screen, monitor or approve the posted messages and assumes no responsibility towards accuracy, reliability or fitness for any purpose of information posted. Neither the Vancouver Kayak Club, its directors and volunteers, nor the volunteers who provide information in these pages can be held liable for any decisions based on the information provided in these pages. Using any information is 100% at your own risk.